Since having a baby in the house, I have discovered some new traits I now share with my dogs.
1. I can now sleep pretty much anywhere, anytime (and relish the opportunity).
2. I eat at the speed of light because the interruption of my meal is imminent.
3. I'd really rather not bother putting on clothes ...they slow me down (don't worry, clothing myself is a sacrifice I still make out of respect for others.)
4. Sometimes, when the front door is open, I feel an incredible urge to bolt as fast as I can (don't worry, I won't).
5. I leave my house looking like no human should look ...and don't care.
6. I have gone a ridiculous amount of days without bathing ...and don't care. (The smell can be surprisingly comforting)
7. I am significantly more hairy.
8. My toenails are so long I've almost had to go up a shoe size, yet clearly someone else is going to have to do something about that for me.
9. NEVER before I had a baby, not in my most intoxicated state, have I ever felt the need to sniff the hind end of another. Ever. Yet I hold that baby's butt to my nose a minimum of 10 times a day.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
A QUICK PICTORIAL REVIEW
Stupid job is getting in the way of my blogging time! Here are some pictures taken last week ....
We had a nice visit with Saba who came to town for a long weekend! Just look at those chins (on Kendall, not on Saba!). Saba, Nana and I took Kendall for her first trip to the Dallas zoo. Sadly, this turned out to be one of the extremely rare occasions that both Nana and I forgot our cameras, so it is undocumented. Kendall was awake through a lot of the visit, but seemed more interested in watching the people than any animals. I found this totally understandable seeing as how a lot of the people I saw there looked like they might benefit from some "cage time." Unruly children in public is one thing ...unruly adults is quite another!
Daddy decided that he was going to dress to match Kendall. They were both very pretty in pink! Can't wait 'til she wants to play dress up with Daddy, paint his nails, and put make-up on his face. tee hee!
Kendall has found her thumb! Both of them actually. I've caught her asleep with both thumbs in her mouth more than once but have not yet captured that on film. While I'm not thrilled with the potential damage the thumbs may eventually do to her teeth, I have to confess that I am quite thrilled that the thumb(s) seems to have replaced the pacifier at nighttime. It is MUCH easier to find a thumb after it falls out of the mouth at godawful hours of the night and happily does not require adult assistance. I should knock on everything wooden within a mile radius when I say this, but Kendall has now gone two weeks sleeping a solid 10 hours at night! So, aside from my first week back at work when she woke up every night at 2:45AM for some undisclosed reason, this has been perfect timing. I so love those little thumbs! They're just the best thumbs EVER!!
We had a nice visit with Saba who came to town for a long weekend! Just look at those chins (on Kendall, not on Saba!). Saba, Nana and I took Kendall for her first trip to the Dallas zoo. Sadly, this turned out to be one of the extremely rare occasions that both Nana and I forgot our cameras, so it is undocumented. Kendall was awake through a lot of the visit, but seemed more interested in watching the people than any animals. I found this totally understandable seeing as how a lot of the people I saw there looked like they might benefit from some "cage time." Unruly children in public is one thing ...unruly adults is quite another!
Daddy decided that he was going to dress to match Kendall. They were both very pretty in pink! Can't wait 'til she wants to play dress up with Daddy, paint his nails, and put make-up on his face. tee hee!
Kendall has found her thumb! Both of them actually. I've caught her asleep with both thumbs in her mouth more than once but have not yet captured that on film. While I'm not thrilled with the potential damage the thumbs may eventually do to her teeth, I have to confess that I am quite thrilled that the thumb(s) seems to have replaced the pacifier at nighttime. It is MUCH easier to find a thumb after it falls out of the mouth at godawful hours of the night and happily does not require adult assistance. I should knock on everything wooden within a mile radius when I say this, but Kendall has now gone two weeks sleeping a solid 10 hours at night! So, aside from my first week back at work when she woke up every night at 2:45AM for some undisclosed reason, this has been perfect timing. I so love those little thumbs! They're just the best thumbs EVER!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
THE BEST GIFT EVER!!!
This is a picture of Erica and Braden Duncan (friends of ours from Legacy Boxer Rescue) holding Kendall. It's not the best picture ever taken of Kendall, but, for once, this picture is not about her. It's about the most incredible gift EVER that Erica made for her! It is a book entitled "Kendall Jane Harris, The First Few Months" and is a 62 page picture book complete with a collection of all of my favorite first pictures of Kendall and details right down to her personal sneeze count! Erica is, by the way, the first person (and only person so far who is not family) with whom I have felt comfortable leaving my baby.
Kendall has just now started taking an interest in having books read to her so we started reading this as a bedtime story last night. Lo and behold, my child likes to look at herself in the mirror and in print! Even if she didn't look EXACTLY like me, there would be no need to question her maternal heritage.
I am sure we will be enjoying my new all time favorite book for a looooong time! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to Erica and Braden!!! Kendall LOVES her Auntie E. and Uncle B!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
KENDALL'S FIRST EASTER
Here are some pictures from Kendall's First Easter! I'm a bit ashamed to say that Chris and I really didn't get anything to put in the gorgeous basket Nana made for Kendall. But it's not like Kendall can eat anything good yet ...and it's not like I need to be eating the contents of an Easter basket for her. So the Easter Bunny saw fit to bring her what she needs to grow bigger (if that's possible!) rather than what Mommy needs to grow bigger! I'm sure next year will be more exciting basket contents-wise.
Oooh ....gimme, gimme, gimme!!!!
Uh, dude, where's the chocolate???
Ok, here's something sweet in the basket!
The Easter Bunny brought something in a little blue box to Nana's house for Kendall! Because everyone needs to cut their teeth on a Tiffany teething ring, right? She clutched onto that thing and didn't let it go until she fell asleep! She is SO my daughter!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Back to Work Week
This was not a particularly great week for me as Sunday marked the official end of my maternity leave. It seems like just yesterday I was going into the hospital for Kendall's "extraction!" All was well, though. Folks at work seemed truly glad to have me back and Kendall did well at home with Nana the Nanny. It made things much easier on me to not have to worry at all about her care (other than the continuous flash of a camera in her face) and only have to miss her like crazy during the day. She did come visit me once, smiled at everyone there, and screamed at me. *sigh! It didn't take me long to remember how to properly converse with adults and I am now back to playing lawyer five days a week. I have altered my hours a bit so I get there between 7 and 7:30 so I can leave a bit early and have more time with Kendall in the evenings. I believe one can deem their youth officially over when one gets up at 5AM, gets to work at 7AM, and goes to bed at 9PM. Pretty soon I'll be eating at the local cafeteria with the blue hairs!
Much of this past week was spent preparing Kendall for her first Easter. After again donning the crinolin-filled prissy dress (which was purchased a mere week ago and barely fits anymore), we went to our neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday to get the tradit
ional "child screaming at the sight of
the Easter Bunny" picture ...
.... then Nana gussied her up again to try to get a better Easter portrait at the mall with real bunnies (poor little bunnies!). She did better with this photo, even after standing in line for a rather lengthy amount of time, but she was not terribly impressed with the live bunnies either.
I think they got around 3 pictures taken before the screamfest began ...
I'm not sure what we're going to put in it this year (cans of formula maybe??) but Nana is working hard on making Kendall an Easter Basket. It's pretty big, but not quite big enough for the ridiculously large stuffed bunny Nana bought for her. It will most definitely live at Nana's house. Nana did take some more pictures at home with the nuclear bunny and they showed Kendall's true smiley self!
Finally, many of you know that my houseful of canines (lovingly known as the Harris House of Canine Chaos) is the result of volunteering with a wonderful group called Legacy Boxer Rescue. LBR is now selling a line of boxer greeting cards and a picture of Kendall and Ralphie is on one of them - they are famous now! This is not the picture used, but is my favorite.
The outside says "Congratulations on your new arrival" and the inside says "Call me when it's housetrained!" I'm quite sure Kendall will grow up to be an animal rescuer of some sort just like her mom, her Nana, and her Grandnana.
Much of this past week was spent preparing Kendall for her first Easter. After again donning the crinolin-filled prissy dress (which was purchased a mere week ago and barely fits anymore), we went to our neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday to get the tradit
ional "child screaming at the sight ofthe Easter Bunny" picture ...
.... then Nana gussied her up again to try to get a better Easter portrait at the mall with real bunnies (poor little bunnies!). She did better with this photo, even after standing in line for a rather lengthy amount of time, but she was not terribly impressed with the live bunnies either.
I think they got around 3 pictures taken before the screamfest began ...I'm not sure what we're going to put in it this year (cans of formula maybe??) but Nana is working hard on making Kendall an Easter Basket. It's pretty big, but not quite big enough for the ridiculously large stuffed bunny Nana bought for her. It will most definitely live at Nana's house. Nana did take some more pictures at home with the nuclear bunny and they showed Kendall's true smiley self!
Finally, many of you know that my houseful of canines (lovingly known as the Harris House of Canine Chaos) is the result of volunteering with a wonderful group called Legacy Boxer Rescue. LBR is now selling a line of boxer greeting cards and a picture of Kendall and Ralphie is on one of them - they are famous now! This is not the picture used, but is my favorite.
The outside says "Congratulations on your new arrival" and the inside says "Call me when it's housetrained!" I'm quite sure Kendall will grow up to be an animal rescuer of some sort just like her mom, her Nana, and her Grandnana.
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Dark and Frilly Side
I have now made my first visit to the dark ....or rather, the frilly side. As soon as I found out we were having a girl, I became very determined that I would do my best to avoid gender stereotyping my child and that she will know from day one that, as a girl, she can do anything and everything boys can do. She can play sports, she can play with bugs, she can do math, and she can become the President of the United States (Only if she's a Republican, though. If she's not, her father will have her locked away somewhere). Conversely, should it be her choice, she can wear pink ruffles, play with dolls, have tea parties, and be as prissy as her little heart desires. But the type of girl she becomes was going to be her choice, not anyone else's ...including her mother's.
I am ashamed and disappointed in myself for purchasing this dress for her (even though it was a mere $4 at a consignment sale) and I apologize to Kendall in advance should she become a tomboy, run across this picture her mother has now put on the internet, and have to suppress an urge to vomit.
BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS, HOW FRIGGIN' CUTE IS SHE IN THIS DRESS????
I am ashamed and disappointed in myself for purchasing this dress for her (even though it was a mere $4 at a consignment sale) and I apologize to Kendall in advance should she become a tomboy, run across this picture her mother has now put on the internet, and have to suppress an urge to vomit.
BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS, HOW FRIGGIN' CUTE IS SHE IN THIS DRESS????
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Week Number 11
We had a fairly non-eventful first part of the week. Kendall was kind enough to share her cold with me so we both felt pretty icky. Big Thanks to Grandmother for keeping Kendall Monday morning so I could get some sleep. Also for bringing dinner Thursday night so I didn't have to cook, and then keeping Kendall again Friday afternoon so I could help movers move some stuff out of storage! Kendall and I were both feeling much better by Thursday and went to visit my friend Mary and Kendall's boyfriend Baby Owen Friday morning. Owen has gotten so much bigger just in the past couple of weeks! I guess it's not just my baby who's growing like a little weed. Owen is 4 weeks younger than Kendall and is already longer than she is and almost as heavy! We also introduced Owen to Kendall's favorite singing star toy and created another little star toy addict. Sorry Mary! Kendall has figured out how to kick the playgym and make the star play music when it's on the motion sensor setting. She can spend hours kicking and staring at that thing and cracking herself up!
Kendall: Owen, look at this thing - all the cool kids are doin' it! Ya GOTTA try it!
Owen: Whoa dude! This is cool! MOM - I NEED a STAR!!
Friday was a big day for Kendall. After spending the morning with Mary and Owen, Kendall spent the afternoon with Grandmother so I could get some stuff done. Then we spent the evening at Brett's house with Brett, Troy, Vincent and Heather. Kendall impressed everyone by being a "such a laid back baby" and then slept a full NINE hours that night! I woke her up at 7 Saturday morning so she could eat. Can't let her wither away into nothingness. Did I mention that when we weighed the kids at Mary's house she had gained an entire pound since the infamous snot sucking doctor visit a mere week ago?? She is now 14 pounds, 5 ounces according to my scale. This means she's almost doubled her birth weight. I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere she was supposed to do that by her 6 month birthday. Guess we can cross that little milestone off at 11 weeks!
Kendall hanging out with Uncle Brett. She did pretty well chillin' with the guys!
Finally, we are spending the weekend (and probably the better part of next week) helping "Nana the Nanny" move into her new house in Dallas - just 3 miles from us - and Saba had better be visiting frequently. Welcome to Dallas, Nana! Nana will be keeping Kendall during the day when I go back to work in just 2 short weeks. Part of me is looking forward to returning to work. I have developed the utmost of respect for housewives as there is NO way I could continue to do this full time and stay sane. It is significantly easier to be working in an office all day! The other part of me gets teary at the thought of leaving my little monkey. She is just now starting to be really fun to be around (smiling and laughing at everything, especially me!) and now I have to miss out of most of her waking hours. I'm sure it will all be fine, though. Other mothers have survived returning to work after maternity leave fairly unscathed, right?
Kendall: Owen, look at this thing - all the cool kids are doin' it! Ya GOTTA try it!
Owen: Whoa dude! This is cool! MOM - I NEED a STAR!!Friday was a big day for Kendall. After spending the morning with Mary and Owen, Kendall spent the afternoon with Grandmother so I could get some stuff done. Then we spent the evening at Brett's house with Brett, Troy, Vincent and Heather. Kendall impressed everyone by being a "such a laid back baby" and then slept a full NINE hours that night! I woke her up at 7 Saturday morning so she could eat. Can't let her wither away into nothingness. Did I mention that when we weighed the kids at Mary's house she had gained an entire pound since the infamous snot sucking doctor visit a mere week ago?? She is now 14 pounds, 5 ounces according to my scale. This means she's almost doubled her birth weight. I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere she was supposed to do that by her 6 month birthday. Guess we can cross that little milestone off at 11 weeks!
Kendall hanging out with Uncle Brett. She did pretty well chillin' with the guys!Finally, we are spending the weekend (and probably the better part of next week) helping "Nana the Nanny" move into her new house in Dallas - just 3 miles from us - and Saba had better be visiting frequently. Welcome to Dallas, Nana! Nana will be keeping Kendall during the day when I go back to work in just 2 short weeks. Part of me is looking forward to returning to work. I have developed the utmost of respect for housewives as there is NO way I could continue to do this full time and stay sane. It is significantly easier to be working in an office all day! The other part of me gets teary at the thought of leaving my little monkey. She is just now starting to be really fun to be around (smiling and laughing at everything, especially me!) and now I have to miss out of most of her waking hours. I'm sure it will all be fine, though. Other mothers have survived returning to work after maternity leave fairly unscathed, right?
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